Species Overview

Chelonaplysilla polyraphus (de Laubenfels, 1930)

SPONGE:

Shape: Encrusting
Size_Thickness: 5 mm
Color_Alive: Deep Purple
Consistency: Spongy Soft
Note: Gives off purple pigment when collected

HABITAT:

Benthic Region: Marine: Intertidal;Subtidal; Deep water
Distribution: Southern California

Skeleton:

Composition: Spongin
Architecture: Fibrous reticulation in one plane; Meshes of Dendritic Fibers with openings 120-300 µm

Spongin:

Type: Primary
Diameter: 80 --180 µ
Core: packed with foreign spicules

Surface:

Texture: superficiallly smooth with scattered conules 1 mm high

Ectosome:

Architecture: Fibrous reticulation in one plane
Architecture: Meshes with openings 120 - 300 µm in diameter

Choanosome:

Architecture: Minimal protoplasm and large numbers of foreign spicules. This permeated by dendritic fibers